Super
Super is 12% from 2025 + payday super 2026 — what it means for your pay
The Super Guarantee is 12% from 1 July 2025, and payday super arrives in 2026. What both changes mean for your take-home pay, your fund balance and how to check you're being paid correctly.
Two superannuation changes bracket this period: the Super Guarantee hit its 12% ceiling on 1 July 2025, and payday super is set to start on 1 July 2026. Neither changes the rate you'll see going forward, but together they change how much ends up in your fund and how quickly. Here's what each means for your pay.
Super is 12% — and staying there
After years of step-ups, the Super Guarantee reached its legislated cap of 12% on 1 July 2025. For all of FY2026-27 it remains 12%, with no further increases scheduled. That's the rate the PayClock calculator uses.
What 12% looks like in dollars, on a salary paid plus super:
| Salary | Super at 12% (per year) | Per fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $7,200 | $277 |
| $80,000 | $9,600 | $369 |
| $100,000 | $12,000 | $462 |
| $120,000 | $14,400 | $554 |
This is money your employer pays on top of your wage if the job is "plus super". It doesn't come out of your take-home.
"Plus super" vs "total package" — the trap
The single biggest source of confusion is how an offer is framed:
- "$80,000 plus super" — your taxable wage is $80,000 and the employer adds $9,600 super on top. Total cost to employer: $89,600.
- "$89,600 total package (including super)" — the 12% super is carved out of the package, leaving roughly $80,000 as your wage.
Same total cost, very different take-home. When you compare offers, always confirm which one you're being quoted — and use the calculator's "income includes super" toggle to see your real net pay either way. For the full salary breakdown, see How much is take-home pay on $60k–$120k?.
Payday super (from 1 July 2026)
Today, many employers pay super quarterly. From 1 July 2026, payday super requires super to be paid at the same time as your wages. What changes for you:
- Same rate (12%) — you don't get more super, you get it sooner.
- Faster compounding — money in your fund earlier means more time invested, which adds up over a career.
- Easier to spot underpayment — if super should appear every pay run, a missing or short contribution is much more visible than waiting a quarter.
The amount is identical; the timing is the win. The ATO has the official detail on the Super Guarantee and the rollout of payday super.
How to check you're actually being paid super
- Read your pay slip. Super should be listed as a separate line — the amount and the fund.
- Log in to your fund. Confirm contributions are landing (and, from 1 July 2026, landing each pay).
- Use the ATO's tools. The ATO lets you check super through myGov and report unpaid super.
If your figure is quoted as a package, run it through the calculator with the super toggle on to see exactly how much is wage and how much is super.
Estimate only — not financial advice. Super rules, the 12% rate and the payday super start date are based on legislated FY2026-27 settings; details can change. Confirm with the ATO or a licensed financial adviser before making decisions.
Sign up for free EOFY reminders and PayClock will nudge you to check your super contributions before 30 June.
Payday super arrives 1 July 2026 — see the employer cashflow impact
If you run payroll, the bigger change is on the employer side: from 1 July 2026 super must be received by each fund within 7 business days of payday. Use the free calculator below to estimate the per-payday super and the working-capital timing shift (general information only, not advice).
Payday Super · from 1 July 2026
Payday Super cashflow-impact calculator
From 1 July 2026, employers must pay the 12% Super Guarantee on every payday — received by each employee's fund within 7 business days — instead of batching it quarterly or monthly. Estimate the new per-payday outflow and the one-off working-capital catch-up as the super you currently hold between batches leaves earlier. Runs entirely in your browser.
1 July 2026
11:59pm AEST 30 June 2026